Homeland Security

Further Reading

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release

No. 940-12

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 03, 2012

NORAD to Conduct Air Defense Exercise in National Capital Region

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), announced today that they will conduct an air defense exercise in the National Capital Region (NCR), between midnight and 2 a.m., beginning on Dec. 4 and concluding early Thursday.

The exercise is comprised of a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Coordination Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center (JADOC), the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and CONR’s Eastern and Western Air Defense Sectors.

Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations as well as to operationally test the NCR Visual Warning System and to certify newly assigned Command and Control personnel at JADOC. Participating in the exercise will be Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16 fighters and a U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following evening. If bad weather continues, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel the exercise.